Retail Investors Pivot to Silver ETFs, Outpacing Tech Stocks in Trading Volume

Retail investors are shifting capital into silver ETFs, with iShares Silver Trust (SLV) recording a record $171 million in single-day net inflows—nearly double the peak during the 2021 silver squeeze. Trading volume in SLV has surged to 11 times its average, exceeding even NVIDIA’s (NVDA) elevated volumes. The rally has extended to mining stocks like Hecla Mining (HL) and Coeur Mining (CDE), both now among retail’s top 50 most-traded assets. Silver prices have tripled over the past year, exceeding $100/oz, driven by speculative retail flows, momentum trading, and tight physical supply. Post-GameStop, retail traders now account for ~20% of daily U.S. equity volume, up from single digits pre-pandemic, with their influence expected to grow amid generational wealth transfer and improved trading tools.